In yoga, the throat is the seat of the fifth chakra, which is the one that supervises, among other things, the ability to communicate both with others and with oneself.
From a physiological point of view, its malfunction makes it vulnerable to the diseases that affect the ears and the thyroid as well as exposed to one of the most classic seasonal ailments: sore throat .
There is an infinite number of remedies to combat this "ailment", some traditional, others very curious. If the beneficial properties of honey or lemon are known to all, let's see what ayurveda offers .
A thorough cleaning of the oral cavity against sore throat
First of all, to fight or prevent a sore throat, let's start from the basics and put aside all kinds of drugs, even ayurvedic ones. We are focusing our attention on a seemingly banal and in practice very neglected aspect: cleaning .
We Westerners used to brush our teeth in the morning, but Ayurveda advises us to go much deeper. This is because any bacteria do not only lurk between tooth and tooth, but also, for example, on the tongue .
On the market there are special brushes provided with a small rubber or curved stick-like tools that are delicately scratched on the lingual surface, but this hygienic step is largely overlooked by both adults and children.
In India, on the contrary, an accessory called nettalingua in the form of an arch is used, usually made of copper, very common. This kind of scraper must be passed several times on the tongue when waking up from the bottom of the mouth towards the outside in order to collect and eliminate any bacteria. It can be purchased online, as well as in the ethnic and yoga shops provided, at the cost of a few euros.
The cleanliness of the tongue sees its completion with the gargling with pure and cold-pressed sesame oil. Dr. explains Antonio Morandi, specialist in neurology and director of the Ayurvedic Point school: " This practice should be done every morning because it prevents oral and pharyngeal infections ".
From a dosha point of view, in fact, during the night an accumulation of kapha is created which blocks the passage of vata making the circulation of energy more difficult. Thanks to these simple practices, the excess is successfully eliminated making the body less vulnerable to bacteria and viruses.
Infusions for sore throat
Precious throat spices
Once the deep cleansing described has become part of one's routine, most sore throats will probably become more and more sporadic.
In any case, it is never advisable to lower your guard and find yourself unprepared if this annoying illness should strike. To counter it, as often happens in ayurveda, it is the pantry that turns out to be a veritable treasure chest of precious remedies : without going to the pharmacy, but simply taking a walk to the market.
The first spice that cannot be missed in winter is turmeric. This plant has many therapeutic properties and among them that of being useful against sore throats: it is sufficient to gargle with hot water to which was added a teaspoon of turmeric and a teaspoon of salt. Alternatively, the doctor Vinod Verma recommends always gargle with plain water and salt or chamomile tea.
Being excellent for the kapha dosha, black pepper and ginger that we can introduce into our diet or take through herbal teas and infusions are very recommended against sore throats (ask your herbalist for advice).
There are also Ayurvedic medicinal preparations against sore throats, such as triphala, but for their intake we refer to the expertise of your trusted Ayurvedic doctor.
